Man appears in court over murder of Karina Menzies in Cardiff hit-and-runs

A 31-year-old man has been remanded in custody over the murder of mother-of-three Karina Menzies and 13 counts of attempted murder after a number of suspected hit-and-run attacks in Cardiff last Friday.

Mr Tvrdon, unshaven and wearing a black jumper, looked relaxed as handcuffs were taken off him as he was led into the courtroom.Asked to confirm whether he was of no fixed address, he told the court in a calm voice: ‘Unfortunately, at the moment I was between moving out.’He is due to appear at Newport crown court tomorrow.

Karina Menzies died saving her children’s lives (Picture: PA)

Ms Menzies died and 13 people were injured after a van drove into pedestrians in Ely on Friday.

A tribute service was held on Sunday to mark Ms Menzies’ death which was said to have ‘broken the heart’ of her community in Ely as her brother said she had died saving the lives of her children.

At the Church of the Resurrection in Ely, Reverend Jan Gould led a special service remembering Ms Menzies, 32.

The congregation openly wept during prayers and hymns, while the vicar also broke down during her sermon.

‘Whether we’ve personally known one or more of the victims of Friday’s terrible events, or whether we are here as a member of this community simply wanting to show solidarity, there can be no one who has not been profoundly affected by what has happened here this week,’ she said.

‘This must surely be perhaps the deepest grief we have shared as a community.’

Rev Gould continued: ‘This grief, of Karina’s tragic death… has broken the heart of our community, and the healing work that is now to be done will take a very, very long time.

‘We will never be the same again as a community – for how can we not be changed after such a tragedy.’

Ms Menzies’s brother Craig has claimed his sister saved the lives of two of her children by pushing them out of the way from the onrushing van as they walked outside the fire station on Cowbridge Road West.

‘He went through the traffic, aimed for them and then just hit them head on,’ Mr Menzies told BBC Radio Five Live.

‘She just screamed and threw them out of the way as much as she could. He still clipped them but she took it head-on. She saved their lives.’

Floral tributes are left to Karina Menzies at the scene of her death (Picture: Getty)

Ms Menzies’s third child, who is disabled, is currently on the ‘holiday of a lifetime’ in Florida and is not thought to be aware of her death.

Of those in hospital, two adults remain in a critical condition, while five children are still receiving treatment.

Detective Superintendent Paul Hurley from South Wales police said the suspect carried a weapon, thought to be a crook lock, and left the Iveco van to physically assault people. Detectives are still working to locate the weapon and identify the owner of the van.

Craig Menzies is consoled by a friend over the death of his sister (Picture: PA)

Kevin Brennan, the Labour MP for Cardiff West, said once ‘understandable’ anger had subsided, people will want justice for the victims.

‘I think the community in Ely are devastated really by what’s happened,’ he said.

‘This is a very close-knit community, it’s not a very wealthy one, but it is rich in community spirit. I think first of all people have been shocked, they have been asking the reason why, and now they’re beginning – as this community does – to rally round the victims.’

Floral tributes have been left at the scene where Ms Menzies died, while collections have been made to raise money for her children.